Benson Bidwell, Inventor of the Trolley Car, Electric Fan and Cold Motor; History of Early Struggles and Later Successes with Personal Reminiscences, Lectures, Essays and Letters (Paperback)

This historic book may have numerous typos, missing text, images, or index. Purchasers can download a free scanned copy of the original book (without typos) from the publisher. 1907. Not illustrated. Excerpt: ... PART III. Reminiscences from Boyhood to Manhood. Collated from Prof. Bidwell's Diary, or Related by Himself from Memory. At the time of my birth, September 2, 1835, my father, Austin B. Bidwell, was a farmer in Livingston County, Western New York. My mother, before her marriage, was Laura I. Butterfield. During my infancy our family lived in a log house, in the midst of the virgin forest. Our only method of heating and cooking at that time was by means of a large fire-place, extending almost across one entire end of the family living room, which was kitchen, dining-room, and bedroom, all in one. In a corner stood one of those old-fashioned high-post bedsteads with the top and sides covered by a canopy of heavy cloth to keep out the cold of the severe winters. The children of the family slept in a trundle a Trumfle'Bed DEGREESed, which was very low and on casters, to facilitate moving about. During the day, to economize space, the trundle bed was kept beneath the larger bedstead, and was drawn forth only in the evening, at the children's bedtime. After the little ones had been snugly tucked in, the trundle bed was again pushed beneath the larger bed, until only the heads of the occupants could be seen. By such means all the family were accommodated and, though they were sometimes somewhat crowded in bed, they slept comfortably, though, in those old-time winters, the snows covered the fence tops and the temperature was often below zero. When I was about eighteen months old the Bunuto Death great fire-place came near being the cause of my death. My parents had gone to a neighbor's home to spend the evening, leaving me in care of a little sister. I was asleep on the hearth before the fire. The burning logs began to pop and threw sparks and even live coals in a sh...